She Overcomes A Bad Streak To Win Founders` Day Trophy

PALM BEACH GARDENS — Shirl Silvers of Boca Raton knows the Founders` Day Trophy she won Friday will be shining. She knows because it took her a long time to get it looking so good.

Silvers, who won the 1984 Founders` Day Trophy, defended her title by shooting a low net 66 at the 1985 Founders` Day Golf Tournament at JDM Country Club North Course in Palm Beach Gardens. The Founders` Day Tournament is the opening event of the 1985 Palm Beach County Women`s Golf Association schedule.

Silvers, who has been suffering from a disc problem in her back, won the tournament a year ago as a 10 handicap. Nagging back problems have caused her handicap to balloon to 16. She has not been playing well lately and she decided she had better shine up the Founders` Day Trophy for the new owner.

``I polished the trophy because I was ready to give it up,`` Silvers said. ``I`ve had an off year. My friends have been listening to me moan and groan all year about how bad I`ve been playing. I don`t think they`ll be listening to my complaints much more when they find out about this.``

Silvers fired an 82 and with her 16 handicap came in with a 66. Silvers` 66 was one shot better than Sharon Pauly, Cele Fleischman and Donna Bachand. They all tied with a low net 67. Silvers was doing well until she began thinking about her score on the final two holes.

``My confidence level was really high,`` said Silvers, who plays at the Boca Greens Country Club. ``I started out making some nice shots. My woods and irons were really working well. I really began to feel good about how I was playing.

``Then I made the mistake of thinking about my score and every golfer knows what happens then,`` Silvers said. ``I doubled bogeyed the 17th hole and bogeyed the 18th hole. I thought I had lost any chance I had at winning at that point. This is a pleasant surprise and I needed a win after the year I`ve had.``

Silvers was not the only repeating champion at the 1985 Founders` Day Tournament. Taffy Brower of Ocean Ridge won the Elinor Kerste Low Gross Trophy for the second year in a row. Brower has won the trophy three times in its seven-year history. She also won it in 1982. Brower fired a two-over par 74 for the low score of the day.

Brower said she was pleased about her consistency. She`s gearing up for this week`s State Amateur Match Play Tournament to be held at Palm Beach Polo and Country Club Golf Course. Brower shot a 36 on the front nine and a 38 on the back nine.

``It`s nice to win the trophy,`` Brower said. ``The important thing to me was getting sharp for the state amateur. I wanted to go into the amateur in good shape physically and emotionally. I feel I`m ready on both counts. I`m happy with my play in the tournament because I played consistent over the entire 18 holes.

``Playing in this tournament has always been a privilege for me,`` Brower said. ``This is a fine group of ladies. It`s nice to be a winner in this tournament because it is the first one of the year.``

Pauly was second low gross with a 77. Harriett Lonergan finished third low gross with a 79.